T ravels in North America. 



289 



LETTER XXVII. 



• 



yourney from Pïmiteouy to the Kaskasquias. Of the Courfe 

 of the Ri^er of the Illinois. Of the Copper Mines. Of the 

 Missouri. Of the Mines of the Ri<ver Mar a meg. Defcrip- 

 tion of Fort de Chartres, and of the MiJJïon of the Kasïcas- 

 IAS. Of the Fruit 'Trees of Louisiana. Defcription of the 

 Mississippi aho<ve the Illinois. Different Tribes of that Na^^ 

 tion. Borne Traditions of the Salvages* Their Notions of the Stars 

 and Planets y Eclipfesy and Thunder : Their Manner of computing 

 Time. 



Madam, K.asç;asquias, OSloher 20^. 



IConfefs very fincerely, that I was not fo eafy at leaving 

 Pi??ziteouyy as I feigned myfelf to be, as well for my own 

 Credit, as not entirely to difcourage thofe who accompanied me, 

 fome of whom concealed their Fear but very indifferently. The 

 Alarms in which I had found the Illinois, their doleful Songs, 

 the 'Sight of the CarcalTes expofed in their Frames^ horrible 

 Objefts, which continually reprefented to me what I was to ex- 

 pert, if I fhould have the Misfortune to fall into the Hands of 

 . thefe Barbarians : All this made an Impreflion upon me v/hich 

 I could not overcome, and for feven or eight Days I could not 

 fleep very found. 



I was not apprehenfive indeed that the Enemy would attack 

 us openly, becaufe I had fourteen Men well armed, and well 

 commanded (a)-, but we had every Thing to fear from Sur- 

 prifes, as the Savages ufe all Manner of Artifices to draw their 

 Enemies into the Snares they lay for them. One of the moll , 

 common is to counterfeit the Cry of fome Animal, or the Note 

 of a Bird, which they imitate fo perfedlly, that every Day fome 

 are brought into an Ambufli by it. One happens to be encamped 

 at. the Entrance of a Wood, we think we hear a Buffalo, a Deer, 

 or a Duck, two or three Men run that Way in Hopes of get- 

 ting fomething, and frequently they never return. 



M. de St. Ange, who has fince very much diftinguifhed himitif againll t\p 

 Renards^ commanded my Efcort, 



They 



